Your name, pronouns, current or most recent workplace, and position (for students, please tell us what school you’re attending and if you have chosen a specialization):
My name is Danilo Madayag Baylen (he/we/they). I am an Instructional Technology, Media, and Design Professor at the University of West Georgia (near Atlanta). I teach graduate-level courses delivered 100% online to K-12 teachers who want to use and integrate technology in their contexts effectively or become school library media specialists. I received an MLIS degree from the University of Alabama and completed a graduate certificate program in children’s literature from Pennsylvania State University. In addition, I completed graduate degrees in instructional technology (EdD), elementary education (MA), and counseling (MSEd). I received my undergraduate degree in economics from the University of the Philippines.
How long have you been an APALA member? What drew you to join? (If you are volunteering on an APALA committee or are an EB officer, please include that here!)
I became a lifetime APALA member in early 2020. I met Ven Basco, former APALA President and Executive Director, at the Philippine Librarians Association (PLAI) Congress in late 2019, and he encouraged me to become a member, given my background and experience. Since then, I have participated in the Awards Subcommittee for Youth Literature (2021) and Children Literature (2022). I volunteered as Co-Chair for the Engagement Task Force (2022-2023). I currently serve on the Executive Board as Member-at-Large (2022-2024) and a liaison for task forces on LibLearnX Local Arrangement (New Orleans, 2023; Baltimore, 2024) and the Chapter Chairs/Co-Chairs (2023-2024). Currently, I am a member of the Strategic Planning Review Task Force. Further, I participated in the APALA Mentoring Program as a mentee (2022-2023) and mentor (2023-2024).
We’re very interested in the diversity of ethnic/cultural heritage within APALA. Please share your ethnic/cultural heritage and any other background information, as desired.
I self-identify as Filipino-American. I grew up in the Philippines and came to the United States as an adult working towards an academic degree. I also self-identify as Asian-American, given my teaching experiences in Indochinese refugee camps in the Philippines and Hong Kong. Nowadays, I volunteer at the local community college, teaching English as a second language to individuals who have migrated from Asia, Central and Latin America, and the Caribbean. With continued outreach efforts in the Philippines and Thailand, I am becoming more of a global citizen who serves to promote literacy, librarianship, and cross-cultural and educational initiatives.
What aspects of library work do you find most compelling? Please share some of your professional goals and interests.
Program development, children’s services, and information literacy education are aspects of library work I find compelling. I enjoy engaging with program design, development, and delivery. In the past, I designed and developed workshops focused on visual and media literacy, grant writing (K-12 teachers and librarians), storytelling with visual media, teaching 4Cs (communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking) with LEGO bricks, and technology literacy skills development for seniors.
With children’s services, I enjoy engaging in the collection development of children’s literature of all genres. Since 2019, I have participated in award selection committees sponsored by ALSC (Batchelder), APALA (Youth, Children), and USBBY (Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities, Outstanding International Books).
Finally, with my continuing interest in information literacy education, I participated in the ALA Libraries Ready to Code Task Force representing ALSC. I continue to study the visual representation of ethnic/cultural heritage in children’s books. Based on my research work, I teach visual and media literacy skills to support the professional development of K-12 teachers and librarians.
If you’ve got a big move, publication, webinar, conference presentation, or social media presence that you’d like APALA members to know about, let us know here!
As I wrap up my time with the Executive Board as a member, I look forward to continued involvement with APALA. I plan to continue writing professionally and in collaboration with colleagues in the United States and abroad about various aspects of librarianship.
In 2023, I published two articles focusing on 1) visual literacy and Filipino libraries and 2) international books for American readers. I also published two book chapters about 1) Filipino LIS students and librarians and 2) using children’s literature in college classrooms. This year, I have a manuscript considered for publication focusing on the roles of student success librarians in the US context. Finally, I look forward to authoring a children’s picture book in the next five years.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
I am an active ALA member. I serve as Co-Chair of the ALSC Notable Children’s Digital Media List and the IRRT Webinar Committee. I am a member of the ALA Scholarship and Study Grants Committee and the Awards Task Force. In addition, I completed the Diverse BookFinder’s Metadata Community of Practice Training Program and currently serve as a coder for BIPOC representation in children’s books.
Other engagements related to professional librarianship include the National Forum on Advancing Asian/Pacific Islander American Librarianship (2022, APALA/CALA), International Librarians Networking Program (2022, IRRT), School Librarians Facilitating the Success of English Language Learners Forum (2022, University of North Texas), Bill Morris Seminar on Book Evaluation (2022, ALSC), and LIS Research Bootcamp (2022, University of the Philippines SLIS). Finally, I was named one of the 2022-2023 Fulbright U.S. Scholars and completed the fellowship in the Philippines last year.